FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to integrated circuits.
Integrated circuits must be protected against electrostatic discharges (ESDs). To that end, their terminal pins are generally provided with corresponding protection structures. The ESD protection structures are usually field oxide transistors, which are disposed between the terminal pads and the supply potentials of the circuit. It is the task of the ESD protection structures, in the event of an ESD, to dissipate the resultant charges harmlessly along their discharge paths. Where a field oxide transistor forms the ESD protection structure, for instance, the discharge path is through its channel.